UCI to launch consultation with cycling stakeholders

Hot on the heels of their announcement that John Coates, the President of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS), will recommend members for their Independent Commission, the UCI has proposed a separate project to gather ideas for the future of cycling.

UCI President Pat McQuaid announced that the ‘wide ranging consultation would include all of the sport’s stakeholders. Although he did not specify as to who they were he said that the consultation would run separately to the Independent Commission. Any respected commission is likely to include representatives from the professional teams, sponsors, and anti-doping agencies.

The consultation will come into effect in the Spring of 2013 and according to a UCI press release will, "look to the future of the sport – and discuss how to bring in lasting improvements to tackle issues of concern within cycling and work together to build a bright future."

Pat McQuaid said: "All stakeholders will be invited to participate in this consultation exercise, which will also look at measures to continue the process of globalising the sport, encourage even wider participation and ways to make the sport even more interesting for spectators."

He continued: "We must all work together to recover from the damage which the Armstrong affair has undoubtedly done to our sport, the sport we all love and cherish."

"While it is absolutely right that the Independent Commission investigates the past and makes recommendations for the future around the issues of doping, our sport is about so much more than that."

"We saw this year in the Olympic Games in London that cycling is one of the world’s most popular sports, both for participants and spectators, and it has a bright future. This is what the consultation exercise will focus on."